Government Officials, Tourism Leaders and Students Engage Aboard Carnival Horizon
By Konnect Media News Desk
MIAMI, FLORIDA — Carnival Corporation has strengthened its relationships with governments, tourism authorities, port partners and communities across the Dutch Caribbean following a series of summer ship visits aboard the Carnival Horizon in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
The visits brought together senior government officials, tourism and port authorities, private-sector representatives, community partners and students for discussions focused on cruise tourism, destination partnerships, education and future career opportunities within the cruise and hospitality industries.
The programme of engagements took place in Bonaire on August 5 and 19, Aruba on August 18 and Curaçao on August 20.
Building Stronger Destination Partnerships
The visits were led by Sarah Beth Reno, Chief Operating Officer of Carnival Cruise Line, and Marie McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Government and Destination Affairs for Carnival Corporation.
Representatives from Carnival Horizon’s leadership team, including Captain Rocco Lubrano, Chief Engineer Dinko Biskupovic, Hotel Director Steve Scandale and HR Director Claire Woodhouse, also participated in the engagements and welcomed delegations aboard the vessel.
According to the company, the ship visits provided an opportunity for Carnival representatives and destination stakeholders to engage directly, learn more about the ship’s operations and discuss ways of supporting tourism and the communities that welcome Carnival ships.
“We value the relationships we have built with our partners across Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, and these visits provide an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and collaboration,” Reno said.
She added that Carnival’s engagement is intended to extend beyond the guest experience.
“We also want to ensure that our engagement extends beyond the guest experience by supporting education and creating opportunities for students to learn more about the cruise industry.”
Opening Doors for Caribbean Students
Education and career exposure formed an important part of the programme, with students from across the three islands invited aboard Carnival Horizon to gain firsthand insight into cruise ship operations.
The visits allowed students to explore potential career opportunities in the cruise and hospitality sectors while connecting their classroom learning with the realities of the industry.
In Curaçao, Carnival welcomed hospitality students from the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre, giving them an opportunity to experience cruise ship operations and interact with industry professionals.
The initiative highlighted the growing importance of exposing young people in Caribbean tourism destinations to the range of employment and professional opportunities available within the wider maritime, tourism and hospitality industries.
Supporting Local Education Initiatives
Carnival also used the visits to support education-focused community initiatives in partnership with local tourism and port authorities.
In Aruba and Bonaire, the company supported local partners involved in the Buki di Pret programme, working alongside the Aruba Tourism Authority, Aruba Ports Authority and Tourism Corporation Bonaire.
In Curaçao, the company’s engagement focused on hospitality education through partnerships involving the Curaçao Tourist Board and Curaçao Ports Authority, as well as its interaction with students from the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre.
McKenzie said strong relationships with destinations remain an essential part of the cruise experience.
“Strong destination partnerships are an important part of the cruise experience, and these visits allow us to engage directly with the people and organizations that help make each destination successful.”
She said that bringing students aboard ships and supporting education initiatives can help introduce a new generation to career opportunities across cruise and tourism industries.
Senior Leaders Engage Across Three Islands
The ship visits brought together influential representatives from government, tourism, ports and the private sector across the ABC Islands.
In Aruba, participants included Minister of Tourism, Transport and Labor Wendrick Cicilia, Aruba Tourism Authority CEO Ronella Croes, and Aruba Ports Authority CEO Marc Figaroa, along with other government and tourism representatives.
In Bonaire, the delegation included Tourism Corporation Bonaire CEO Elesiër Angel, BONHATA CEO Veroesjka de Windt, Bonaire Harbor Master Gunther Flanegin, and representatives from the island’s tourism sector.
Meanwhile, in Curaçao, participants included Zulaika Mook, Senior Director of Economic Development and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Development, Curaçao Ports Authority CEO Humberto de Castro, and Curaçao Tourist Board Managing Director Muryad de Bruin, among other representatives from the tourism and maritime sectors.
Tourism Beyond the Cruise Ship
The summer engagements reflect a broader approach to destination partnerships—one that connects cruise tourism with education, community development and economic opportunity.
For Caribbean destinations, the cruise industry remains an important contributor to visitor arrivals and tourism activity. However, initiatives such as these also seek to create opportunities for greater interaction between the industry, destination leaders and the young people who may form part of the region’s future tourism and maritime workforce.
Through its continued engagement across the Caribbean, Carnival Corporation says it will continue working with local stakeholders to support tourism, education and economic opportunities in the communities its ships visit.
As cruise destinations throughout the Caribbean continue to evolve, the partnership between cruise lines, governments, ports, tourism authorities and communities is likely to remain central to ensuring that the benefits of the industry extend beyond visitors and into the wider development of the destinations themselves.
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